Veteran Nollywood actor and politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused President Bola Tinubu of exploiting the state of emergency in Rivers State to gain control over local government authorities through proxies.
In a statement released on his official (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, Okonkwo argued that President Tinubu did not lift or suspend the state of emergency in Rivers State as he claimed. The emergency proclamation, according to Okonkwo, expired naturally after six months, contrary to Tinubu’s recent declaration on Wednesday that the emergency had been lifted.
The Labour Party leader emphasized that although President Tinubu had the power to revoke the state of emergency before the six months elapsed—particularly after Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara publicly announced they had reconciled—he chose not to. This, Okonkwo argued, was to allow Tinubu’s administration to organize illegal local government elections using the Sole Administrator as a proxy.
Okonkwo also criticized the notion that President Tinubu reinstated Governor Fubara, explaining that only the people of Rivers State and their elected representatives have the constitutional authority to make such decisions.
Rivers State Emergency Expired Automatically
Okonkwo explained that the state of emergency in Rivers State had a clear expiration date, noting that the constitution mandates such proclamations cease after six months. He referenced Section 305(6)(c) of the Nigerian Constitution, which states, “A Proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect after a period of six months has elapsed since it has been in force.”
“The state of emergency automatically expired,” Okonkwo stated. “Tinubu had the power to revoke it before the six months, especially after Wike and Fubara publicly announced their reconciliation. However, he chose not to, allowing his government to extend the illegality of taking over local government elections by using the Sole Administrator.”
Only Rivers People Have the Power to Remove Their Governor
Furthermore, Okonkwo strongly refuted any claims that President Tinubu had the authority to reinstate Fubara as Governor. “Only the people of Rivers State, through their elected representatives and the State judiciary, can remove the Governor and his Deputy—not President Tinubu.”
Conclusion: Tinubu’s Overreach in Rivers State
Kenneth Okonkwo’s statements highlight concerns over what he sees as executive overreach in Rivers State, accusing President Tinubu of undermining local governance and using the state of emergency to manipulate the political process.
